00:00President Trump said that Korea is also a free rider country.
00:03In an interview with Fox News aired on August 31, President Trump claimed that when he asked
00:07if Korea could help a little, since there are 40,000 U.S. troops stationed in Korea,
00:11the Korean government refused, saying they'd rather not do it at all.
00:15Before we continue with President Trump's remarks, let me correct something.
00:18There are 28,500 U.S. troops stationed in Korea.
00:21The number of U.S. troops in Korea is not 40,000.
00:24President Trump said, regarding Korea's refusal, alright, thank you very much, but
00:28I will remember this," he reportedly said, seriously.
00:31He also argued that the United States can't keep helping countries that aren't willing
00:34to stand up for us like fools, and that if America reduces the costs it spends on the
00:38security of its allies, we will end up making a lot of money as a result.
00:41This shows a determination to closely scrutinize America's burden and the other countries'
00:45contribution within the alliance.
00:46It seems that the reason President Trump suddenly began strongly criticizing Korea is because,
00:51during the recent Middle East War, Korea did not respond to America's request for military
00:54support.
00:55In particular, President Trump, when the military conflict between Iran and the United States
00:59intensified last March, requested military support from Korea and other main allies to
01:03secure the safety of the Hormuz Strait.
01:05At that time, as concerns grew over the safety of navigation in the Hormuz Strait due to the
01:08conflict with Iran, the United States requested the participation of its allies, and publicly
01:12asked Korea to send a warship to join the escort operation.
01:15However, the Korean government chose not to participate militarily in response to the U.S.
01:18request, considering the security situation on the Korean peninsula and domestic procedures.
01:22Of course, from the Korean government's perspective, first of all, making a troop deployment request
01:26through Truth Social is not an official diplomatic document, and there was also the attitude that
01:30such an important decision as troop deployment cannot be made based on a post on social media.
01:34Above all, they requested the deployment of naval vessels, but with the current capabilities
01:37of the Shanghai unit, Korea cannot send them to the Strait of Hormuz or the Hormuz operation.
01:41That's right, because of this, Korea inevitably showed a stance of being unable to comply, but
01:45President Trump continued to pressure Korea regardless.
01:46After that, President Trump began to mention Korea's response several times.
01:49In particular, he expressed the perception that while the United States is stationing
01:53U.S. troops in Korea and providing military support for Korea's security, Korea did not
01:58actively cooperate when the United States needed it.
02:00But President Trump, this issue seems to go beyond whether Korea participated in military
02:04operations in the Middle East, and is serving as a standard for judging how much an ally
02:08is sharing the burden with the United States.
02:10In particular, this time, even though President Trump was not directly asked about Korea, he mentioned
02:14Korea as an example of a country that receives U.S. security support, but does not sufficiently
02:18help the U.S.
02:19Because of this, it is being seen as a stronger message than before.
02:22The fact that President Trump continues to mention that Korea did not participate in
02:25U.S. military operations can also be interpreted as meaning that this issue has not yet been
02:29resolved.
02:30But we also need to consider whether Korea is really just a country that only receives from
02:34the U.S.
02:34If you only look at President Trump's remarks, Korea might seem like a country that receives
02:38U.S. security support but does nothing when the U.S. needs help.
02:41However, the South Korea-U.S. alliance is not structured so that the U.S. unilaterally
02:45defends Korea while Korea bears no costs.
02:48Unlike Europe, Korea spends a significant amount on defense and it continues to maintain its
02:52own military power to respond to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats.
02:55Above all, Korea has actually dispatched troops to several overseas military operations led
02:59by the United States.
03:00Korea has participated in almost all of the troublesome wars.
03:03The Vietnam War, too.
03:04Korea also participated in the Gulf War, the Iraq War, and the Afghanistan War.
03:07Especially during this recent war in the Middle East, even though Korea didn't send troops
03:11directly, it played a major role by quickly supplying systems like Chong Gung to Middle
03:14Eastern countries helping to strengthen their defense capabilities.
03:17We didn't send troops to the Vietnam War or the Afghanistan War just to hear things
03:20like this.
03:21On top of that, Korea also provides various forms of support to help U.S. forces Korea
03:24maintain a stable presence here.
03:26Korea bears costs in maintaining facilities and infrastructure related to U.S. military bases
03:29in Korea and also shares part of the expenses related to the stationing of U.S. forces
03:33Korea through the Defense Cost Sharing Agreement.
03:34Therefore, just because the U.S. spends money on Korea's defense, there are many factors
03:38to consider before defining the entire Iraq U.S. alliance as a one-sided support relationship
03:42from the U.S.
03:43Even when the U.S. took away the TAFAD or Patriot missiles deployed in Korea at their
03:46own discretion, we didn't say much about it.
03:48But now, when people say that Korea is a free-riding country, there are quite a few things that
03:51feel unfair from Korea's perspective.
03:53Above all, the role of the Korean military itself is significant.
03:56Korea is a country that directly borders North Korea.
03:59Since Korea is the country most directly exposed to North Korea's military threat, the Korean
04:03military maintains a considerable number of troops and equipment.
04:06Although the United States is involved in the defense of the Korean Peninsula, the Korean
04:09military also plays a key role in the peninsula's defense capabilities.
04:12The United States supporting Korea and Korea maintaining its own defense capabilities are
04:15not separate issues but are both key elements that make up the ROK-U.S. alliance.
04:19Also, Korea matters to the United States for more than just military reasons.
04:22Korea has a considerable impact on America's industries and supply chains, such as semiconductors,
04:26shipbuilding, batteries, and automobiles.
04:28Especially as the United States continues its strategic competition with China, securing
04:32stable supply chains and advanced manufacturing capabilities has become more important, and
04:36Korea's industrial role is also growing.
04:38Therefore, what's important in this controversy is not just whether Korea refused the United
04:41States' request.
04:42We need to consider not only the security support the United States provides to Korea, the defense
04:46costs Korea bears on its own, and the support Korea provides for the stationing of U.S.
04:50forces in Korea, but also the industrial capabilities Korea can offer to the U.S. economy and security.
04:55Now once again, the South Korea-U.S. alliance is facing an important test.
04:57This is because President Trump's pressure is not limited to the military field, but
05:00is also raising issues about U.S. forces in Korea, defense costs, trade, and investment
05:04at the same time.
05:05In particular, recently the U.S. side's actions regarding the South Korea-U.S. joint military
05:08exercises have become more concrete.
05:10President Trump is known to have instructed the U.S. Department of Defense to significantly
05:13reduce the scale and schedule of this year's Ulchi Freedom Shield joint exercise.
05:16The South Korea-U.S. joint military exercises are key drills in which the two countries'
05:19forces check their actual operational capabilities in response to North Korea's nuclear and missile
05:23threats.
05:23So the fact that the U.S. President himself directly ordered a reduction is quite significant.
05:27It's already unusual that the exercise had started, and then an order came to cut it
05:30in half midway.
05:31Of course, President Trump has shown a negative view of the South Korea-U.S. joint military
05:34exercises in the past.
05:36Even during his time in office, he argued for reducing or suspending the joint exercises,
05:39citing the huge costs involved and the possibility of provoking North Korea.
05:41In fact, after the 2018 North Korea-U.S. summit, there is precedent for major South Korea-U.S.
05:46joint military exercises were either suspended or scaled down one after another.
05:49This time as well, since President Trump is once again mentioning the cost of joint exercises
05:52and the issue of provoking North Korea, there is a possibility that a policy stance similar
05:55to that period could reemerge.
05:57On top of that, recently President Trump even made remarks emphasizing his relationship
05:59with Kim Jong-un, so there is growing interest in how the direction of the U.S. policy toward
06:02North Korea and South Korea-U.S. military cooperation might change.
06:05In addition, the issue of U.S. troops stationed in South Korea is also a major variable.
06:08Politicom reported that the U.S. Department of Defense is considering a plan to reduce
06:11about 4,500 U.S. troops stationed in South Korea and relocate them to other areas in the
06:15Indo-Pacific region.
06:16However, this is still just a plan under review and an actual reduction has not been decided
06:19yet.
06:20Since there are quite a few negative opinions about reducing U.S. troops in South Korea
06:22even in the U.S. Congress, several procedures and discussions will be necessary before it
06:25is finalized as an actual policy.
06:27Nevertheless, the fact that the size of U.S. troops in South Korea is once again being reviewed
06:30as part of U.S. domestic policy is something that South Korea needs to watch very carefully.
06:34If President Trump keeps making demands, the strength of U.S. forces in South Korea could
06:37continue to weaken.
06:38Also, President Trump has shown that he does not treat the issue of U.S. troops in South
06:41Korea separately from trade negotiations.
06:43Even during last year's Korea-U.S. trade negotiations, he argued that South Korea was
06:46free-riding on U.S. military power and brought up security issues together.
06:49Recently, South Korea's investment plans in the U.S. have also remained an important
06:52issue in negotiations between the two countries.
06:54Out of the amount South Korea promised, $150 billion was allocated for cooperation in the
06:57shipbuilding industry, but it is reported that specific investment plans for the
07:00remaining $200 billion have not yet been finalized.
07:02With growing U.S. dissatisfaction over this investment issue, the possibility that negotiations
07:06in the security and economic sectors will influence each other is increasing.
07:08For this reason, what we need to pay attention to in the future of Korea-U.S. relations is
07:11not whether each issue moves separately.
07:13The point is that issues such as defense cost sharing, the operation of U.S. forces in Korea,
07:17joint training, investment in the U.S., and trade issues may be brought to the negotiating
07:20table in an interconnected manner.
07:21Since President Trump is evaluating South Korea's security and economic contributions together,
07:25the South Korean government also needs to establish a negotiation strategy within
07:28the overall structure of Korea-U.S. relations rather than responding to each issue separately.
07:31Quite troublesome situation for South Korea, and it's highly likely that China will also
07:35closely watch the changes in Korea-U.S. relations.
07:37Growing conflicts between Korea and the U.S. are an important diplomatic and security variable
07:40for China as well.
07:41The United States has continued its strategic competition with China while strengthening
07:44cooperation with its allies such as South Korea, Japan, and Australia.
07:47In particular, since South Korea is geographically close to China, while maintaining a strong
07:51military alliance with the United States, the direction of Korea-U.S. relations can also
07:54affect China's East Asia strategy.
07:56However, in this situation, if South Korea and the United States are seen bickering with
08:00each other, it would be truly beneficial for China.
08:02Even if China does nothing, its influence is growing.
08:04From China's perspective, the important thing is to what extent South Korea will maintain
08:07security cooperation with the United States.
08:09If South Korea strengthens its military cooperation with the United States, China will have to consider
08:13the growing strategic influence of the U.S. around the Korean Peninsula and the Yellow
08:17Sea.
08:17On the other hand, if South Korea and the U.S. continue to clash over defense costs or
08:20military roles, China can pay attention to the possibility that South Korea's diplomatic
08:24options will expand.
08:25Especially if the political gap between the United States and South Korea widens, China
08:29may take steps to improve diplomatic relations with South Korea or expand cooperation.
08:33Perhaps China might just quietly observe the situation.
